By Dr. Petrus Raulino
What is Psychophobia?
Psychophobia is prejudice or discrimination against people with mental disorders or disabilities.
It can occur in attitudes or phrases of prejudice against psychiatric patients, psychiatric illnesses, psychiatric institutions, mental health professionals or psychotropic drugs.
Unfortunately, this prejudice still seems to be widespread today, and the main reason for this is a lack of knowledge. Not knowing brings this strangeness and people tend to avoid what they don't know, often with false judgments.
How to combat psychophobia?
The main antidote to tackling psychophobia is to popularize quality information about mental disorders. That way we can change the reality of mental health in our country.
Until recently, therapeutic possibilities were limited due to scarce pharmacological prospects and little knowledge. Family and society disowned people with mental disorders.
However, this sad reality has changed: effective treatments, with comprehensive therapeutic possibilities, have improved patients' prognosis and quality of life.
There is no health without mental health. Say no to prejudice.
